Al-Ghazali
1058 – 1111 Persian philosopher, theologian
The theologian who reshaped Islamic thought and challenged the philosophers.
- Religion
- Muslim; a major Sunni theologian and Sufi who critiqued the philosophers.
- Affiliations
- Taught at the Nizamiyya of Baghdad. No secret society.
Al-Ghazali defended orthodox Islam against the rationalist philosophers in The Incoherence of the Philosophers, then turned to Sufi mysticism. His autobiography of doubt and faith anticipated later confessional writing. He deeply shaped the direction of Sunni theology.
Connections
- rival of Averroes — Averroes answered him with The Incoherence of the Incoherence.